HONG KONG: Thousands of Hong Kong medical workers voted Saturday (Feb 1) to strike as they urge the government to close its border with the mainland to contain the Wuhan coronavirus epidemic that has killed 259 people.
The financial hub has 13 confirmed cases of the disease as of Saturday, with 112 patients isolated.
More than three thousand public hospital staff including doctors and nurses voted to strike if the government fails to meet their demands
"If we do not curb the source (of the virus), the resources of epidemic prevention and manpower will never be enough," said Winnie Yu, chairwoman of the Hospital Authority Employees Alliance (HAEA).
READ: Apple to shut down all official stores in Chinese mainland due to Wuhan coronavirus outbreak
Advertisement
Advertisement
READ: In one Wuhan hospital, long lines, fear and frustration
"We don't want to go on strike, but the government has been ignoring the demands of the frontline medical workers. We have no choice," Yu added.
The HAEA will meet with representatives from their employer – the city's hospital authority – on Sunday to negotiate.
The newly formed alliance said 9,000 of its members back the strike, making up 10 per cent of the workforce of the city's workforce.
If no deal is reached, around 30 per cent of the 9,000 – those who work in non-essential positions – would first go on strike next Monday. The rest, who provide emergency services, would afterwards join a four-day strike.
READ: Chinese official says slow response made virus epidemic worse
READ: China slams US for travel warning over virus
Advertisement
Advertisement
Hong Kong's hospital authority on Saturday said it would come up with a contingency plan.
The city's pro-Beijing adminiRead More – Source
[contf]
[contfnew]
channel news asia
[contfnewc]
[contfnewc]
